Frame for motor-vehicles.



No. 691,945. Patented Ian. 28, I902.

R; 0. HOD-DI."

I FRAME FUR MOTOR VEHICLES.

(Application filed Feb. 28, 1901.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

mt norms PETERS co. Pmrqumo. WASHINGTON. o. a

Patented lani- 28, I902.

No. s9|,945.'

B. 0. HOOD.

FRAME FOR MDTDR' VEHICLES.

(Application filed Feb. 28, 1901.) (No Mudel.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII """fiinmw UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE-RALPH O. HOOD, OF DANVERS, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO SIMPLEX MOTORVEHICLE COMPANY, OF DANVERS, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPO- RATION OF MAINE.

FRAME FOR MOTOR-VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 691,945, dated January28, 1902.

Application filed February 28, 1901. Serial No. 49,286. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH 0. H001), a citizen of the United States,residing at Danvers, in the county of Essex, State of Massachusetts,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Frames forMotor-Vehicles, 850., of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention has for its main object to provide an improved frame forvehicles, more especially adapted for use in connection withmotor-vehicles, which shall be light, strong, and durable and whichshall permit the respective wheels of the vehicle to follow theirregularities of a road-surface without causing injurious strains to bebrought upon the frame.

Other objects of the invention will be disclosed in the course of thefollowing description.

The invention consists in the novel and improved construction of framewhich I now will proceed to describe,with the aid of the accom panyingdrawings, in which latter I have illustrated an embodiment oftheinvention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows the said embodiment in plan. Fig. 2 is aside elevation thereof. Fig. 8 is a front elevation thereof. Fig. 4 is arear elevation thereof. Figs. 5 and 6 are views showing details.

Having reference to the drawings, my improved frame comprises,essentially, a transversely-extending front portion 1, two perches 1111, and a rear cross-bar 14:. The front portion 1 is made up of twotubes 2 3, placed parallel and one above the other, intermediatecross-pieces 4A, and end pieces 5 5. The said cross-pieces and endpieces hold the said tubes fixedly at the required distance apart andare connected with the tubes by brazing. The end pieces are eachfurnished with upper and lower lugs 6 6, projecting outward parallelwith each other, and between the two lugs of each end piece is mountedon a vertical pivotal axis a swiveling wheel-support 7. The

forward extremity of each perch 11 has brazed therein a plug 22, Fig. 5,a portion of which projects beyond the end of the perch. This projectingportion of the plug is passed through a hole or bearing in the middle ofthe corresponding intermediate cross-piece 4E and receives on itsthreaded extremity, in front of said cross-piece, a nut or nuts 23, bywhich it is prevented from withdrawing from said hole. Thereby eachperch is pivotally connected with the front portion of the frame byjoints permitting transverse swiveling movements in a manner whichenables the perch and said front portion to swivel relatively to eachother in a vertical plane and obviates tendency to twist or spring andrack the perches.

Upon the perches 11 11, adjacent their rear ends, are slipped andfastened by brazing the blocks 12 12, Fig. 6, having upturned lugs 13 13with holes therethrough. Within the opposite ends of the tubularcross-bar 14 are secured by brazing plugs 141, Fig. 6, each hav in g aprojecting portion which passes through a hole in the corresponding lug13 and receives upon its threaded extremity a nut 142, by means of whichthe parts may be fastened rigidly together. The rear ends of the tubularperches 11 11 have similar plugs 111 111 secured therein, the projectingportions of the said plugs being passed through holes in theupwardly-extending lugs 15 15 of blocks 16 16 and the said blocks beingsecurely fixed to the said rear ends of the perches by nuts 112 112,applied to the threaded extremities of the said plugs. The blocks 16 16contain bearings of any approved type and construction for the rear axle17 of the vehicle. In the present instance the axle 17 is of thewellknown divided character, with differential gearing (not shown)connecting the proximate ends of the two portions of the said axle. 18is the usual brake-wheel, and 19 the sprocketwheel which serves in thetransmission of power to the said axle. By reason of connecting theblocks 16 16 with the perches 11 11 in the manner described they arerendered readily disconnectible from said perches, which enables saidblocks and the rear axle to be removed bodily whenever required simplyby detaching the blocks from the perches. The swiveling connectionbetween the forward extremity of each perch and the front portion of theframe relieves the said perches and the joints connecting the same withthe IOO said front portion from injurious torsional strains when thewheels of the vehicle pass over irregularities of surface.

The perches 11 11 incline or converge toward each other from points justin front of the crossbar-14 to near their forward extremities, thelatter and also their rear extremities being parallel, as shown best inFig. 1. The said forward extremities connect with the front portion 1 ofthe frame at points at opposite sides of the middle of the length of thesaid front portion. The connection is made at points comparatively nearthe said middle, so as to give flexibility in a vertical direction tothe frame, and yet the said points are sufficiently removed therefromand separated from each other to enable the said perches to brace thefront portion of the frame against strains acting horizontally at theouter ends of the said front portion, such as arise when one front wheelencounters an obstruction. I dispense with brace-rods, While at the sametime my frame is practically rigid horizontally. The forward extremitiesof the perches connect with the intermediate cross-pieces 4 4 of thefront portion of the frame at the same height as theoutwardly-projecting spindles 8 8 of the wheel-mountings 7 7. The axisof revolution of the front wheels therefore intersects the said frontextremities. The bearings for the rear axle 17, however, are hung belowthe rear ends of the perches, as has been described. For the purpose ofpreventing the front portion of the frame from becoming tilted forwardlyin consequence of the greater elevation of the rear extremities of theperches, which tilting would occur if measures were not taken to preventit, I form the greater portion of the length of the perches intermediatethe front portion 1 of the frame and the blocks 12 at a slight inclineto the extreme forward and rear portions of theperches, the inclinationbeing just enough to compensate for the elevation of the rear portionsof the perches above the rear axle.

The body (not shown) of the vehicle will in practice usually be mountedupon a transversely-extending spring 20, secured to the front portion 1of the frame, and two springs 21 21, secured to the rear cross-bar 14,the said springs being indicated by dotted lines .in Fig. 1.

the latter and at opposite sides of said middle by joints permittingtransverse swiveling movement, whereby vertical flexibility is securedand the frame is braced horizontally, and the cross-bar connecting thesaid perches adjacent their rear ends, substantially as described.

2. The improved frame for motor-vehicles, 850., comprising, essentially,the front portion adapted to have connected therewith the front wheelsof the vehicle and composed of upper and lower members andconnecting-pieces,the perches connected with connecting-pieces of thesaid front portion adjacent the middle of the latter and at oppositesides of the said middle by joints permitting transverse swivelingmovement,whereby flexibility vertically is secured and the frame isbraced horizontally, the rear ends of the perches having connectedtherewith bearings for the rear axle, and the cross-bar connecting thesaid perches adjacent their rear ends, substantially as described.

3. The improved frame for motor-vehicles, &c., comprising the frontportion composed of upper and lower members and connectingpieces, andthe perches converging toward their forward extremities and pivotallyconnected at the latter with said connectingpieces adjacent the middleof the said front portion, substantially as described.

4. The improved frame for motor-vehicles, &c., comprising the frontportion composed of upper and lower members and the intermediate and endcross-pieces connecting the said members, the perches connected at theirforward extremities by horizontal pivots with the said intermediatecross-pieces, the crossbar connecting the rear extremities of the saidperches,and the blocks applied to the said rear extremities,substantially as described.

5. The improved frame for motor-vehicles,

850., comprising the front portion composed of upper and lower membersunited by intermediate and end cross-pieces, wheel-supporting meansapplied to the end cross-pieces, the perches connected at their forwardextremities with the middle portions of the intermediate cross-pieces,having the upwardly-inclined intermediate portions, and also having theblocks hung from their rear extremities, and the cross-bar connectingthe said rear extremities, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RALPH 0. H001).

\Vitnesses:

CHAS. F. RANDALL, WM. A. MAOLEOD.

IIC

